Country Report Romania

Networking

Central authorities	Local authorities	Other main stakeholders

National focal points	Proposal for organisation(s) to implement TRB SDP on large scale

The Sustainable Development Plan for TRB has to be developed with wide consultation among the main stakeholders and potential partners, the central authorities, local public administrations, universities, relevant NGOs and businesses that are directly involved or are able to contribute in drawing up a strategy in this area.
The existing institutional framework in Romania is favourable for concentrated and supportive activity in developing and implementin the integrated plan for sustainable development in Tisa River basin.

Important organisations and contact persons

a) Central authorities

The actual administrative structure allows for the implementation of the principles of sustainable development through the establishment of legal authorities that can elaborate local strategies and monitor economic development processes and environmental protection.

Ministry for Development and Prognosis

The Ministry was established to respond promptly to the priorities for economic reconstruction, to ensure durable economic progress, to reinforce institutional capacity, and to elaborate and apply programmes and projects for regional development. Formed out of the former National Agency for Regional Development and the General Directorate for Prognosis under the Ministry of Finances, the Ministry for Development and Prognosis is a synthesis ministry with the role of analysing and making prognoses on Romanian economic development, to apply government strategy and implement programmes, and to promote policies for economic and social development, as well as foreign investment in Romania.

In each of the 8 regions, a workgroup has been establishied constituted of 3-4 specialists for regional development activities, decentralisation, foreign investment and prognosis.

National Council for Regional Development

According to Law no. 151/1998 regarding regional development in Romania, the National Council for Regional Development is an institution without legal status, with the main responsibility to promote basic objectives for regional development in Romania.

Ministry for Public Administration

The Ministry for Public Administration, also a synthesis ministry, insures the application of government strategy and programmes in the field of local public administration and monitors, in the Government's name, the establishment and implementation of reform programmes by other ministries and authorities in the central public administration.

Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection

The Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection is a specialised institution of the central public administration, with legal status, under government orders, with its central headquarters in Bucharest.

The Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection implements policy with regard to water and environmental protection at national level, establishes strategy and specific regulations for the development and harmonisation of activities within the general framework of government policy, and provides and coordinates the application of government strategy in the mentioned areas. It plays the role of national authority, and undertakes the synthesis, coordination and control of these activities.

A number of units are under the authority or coordination of the Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection.

Units included in the Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection

Public institutions financed by the national budget, with legal status:

The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control

42 County Environmental Protection Inspectorates, Bucharest Environmental Protection Inspectorates and Administration of the Biosphere reservation "Danube Delta".

Units under authority of the Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection

National Company "Romanian Waters" S.A.

National Company "National Institute for Meteorology, Hydrology and Waters Management

Scientific research and design units, coordinated by the Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection, with legal status, and financed by extra-budgetary incomes

Research-Development National Institute for Environmental Protection - I.N.C.D.P.M. Bucharest

Research-Development National Institute for Marine Research "Grigore

Antipa" - I.N.C.D.M. Constanta

Research-Development National Institute "Danube Delta" - I.N.C.D.D.D.
Tulcea.

National Company "Romanian Waters"

Established in 1998 through Government Decision no. 981 as the National Authority with the aim of applying strategy in the field of water management, as well as the management of the national network for hydrologic, hydro-geologic and water resources quality measurements.

European Integration Ministry

This Ministry provides the foundation for the coordination of the preparation process for Romanian accession to the European Union, and taking the lead in accession negotiations.

Ministry for Public Works, Transport and Housing

The Ministry represents the state authority in the field of railway, road, air and water transport, construction and land management, exercising authority directly or through technically specialised institutions, public institutions or authorised commercial enterprises.

Ministry of Health and Family

The Ministry implements government strategy and policy in the field of population health and responsible for sanitary sector reform and fmialy-related policies.

b) Local authorities

Local authorities play an important role in the implementation of government strategies and policies at local level. Monitoring of economic and social activities is achieved through decentralised public services of ministries in the territory. Communities are administered by their legally elected representatives who form the local councils.

The government representative in the territory is the prefect.

Local public administration

Elected local officials are mayors, local councillors and county councillors.

Local public administration authorities in communities and cities are local councils, as deliberative authorities and mayors as executive officials. One or two deputy mayors, and a secretary support mayors in their activities. Local councils solve public issues within a legal framework.

Local public administration authorities in counties are county councils, as deliberative authorities, and with county council presidents as executive officials. The president is assisted by two vice-presidents and a general secretary. County councils and their presidents coordinate the activities of local councils, in order to provide public services on the basis of a county's interests.

At county level, the prefect, supported by a vice-prefect and a general secretary, represents the Government.

The prefect leads the decentralised public sector activity of the ministries and other authorities of the central public administration, organised at the level of territorial administrative divisions.

Agencies for regional development

Agencies for regional development are non-governmental not-for-profit organisations for public use, with legal status, and undertaking activities aimed at regional development. These institutions are organised and work within the framework established by the regional development law (151/1998), as well as their Organisation and Functioning Statute, approved by the Council for Regional Development.

Environmental Protection Inspectorates

Local authorities for environmental protection are the Environmental Protection Inspectorates with competences similar to those of the Ministry for Water and Environmental Protection exercised at the level of counties and/or Bucharest.

Inspectorates have responsibilities related to how respect for the relevant laws, economic activities, authorisation, inspections, environmental monitoring, biodiversity conservation and natural resources protection.

Water Management Systems (SGA)

Water Management Systems are county authorities for water management with no legal status and with competences related to surface and groundwater management. They are responsible for water quality monitoring. SGAs contribute to the establishment of plans for river basin arrangements and, in the case of boundary counties, for cooperation between similar authorities in neighbouring countries.

State Inspectorates for Construction

These are territorial units of the Ministry for Public Works, Transport and Housing and are responsible for the achievement of the Ministry's objectives at county level.

Public Health Directorates

These directorates survey the implementation of the public health strategies of the Ministry for Health and Family, and ensure respect for the law in counties.

c) Other main stakeholders

Business: Chambers of Commerce and Industry, mining companies, SMEs, Federation of Owners, etc.

Education and research: Universities, National Institute for Research and Development for Environment (ICIM), National Institute for Industrial Ecology (Eco-Ind)

Associations: Romanian Association of Mining Communities (Ro-Acom), Romanian Association of Municipalities (AMR), Romanian Association of Cities, Romanian Association of Rural Communities, Romanian Federation of Local Authorities

NGOs: National Centre for Sustainable Development, Association of Environmental Private Companies, Development Centre for Small and Medium Size Enterprises, Albamont, Tourism Association (ANTREC), etc.

The screening process of potential key interested partners identified the principal partners that are listed in the annex.

National focal points

National focal points represent central and local authorities able to disseminate information and concentrate future actions with regard to the implementation of the sustainable development plan in the Tisa basin.

The participants in the national workshops and the project team have agreed that two national focal points will ensure the representativeness of stakeholders in the project.

Central government will be represented by the Ministry of Water and Environmental Protection as the main national authority dealing with environmental issues in Romania. The different aspects of sustainable development would be subjects of discussion for the Interministerial Committee of the Romanian Government.

Local and regional governments will be represented by the Municipality of Baia Mare. The city of Baia Mare is deeply involved in the activities of the main association of local governments (Association of Mining Communities - president; Association of Municipalities - vice-president), plays an important role in Local Agenda 21 development processes nationwide and has a strong position regarding international co-operation.

Proposal for organisation(s) to implement TRB SDP on large scale

The implementation of future projects concerned with sustainable development in the Tisa basin is expected to be performed by organisations with regional activities.

Regional Development Agencies and County Councils responsible for the development and implementation of local and regional strategies and plans can be counted on.
Concrete projects should be implemented by a local or regional consortium established with the common agreement of the local public administration, regional development agencies, NGOs and other interested organisations.

National focal points and the country office of the REC should supervise the process.

Mapping

Recognised needs for sustainable development

Central authorities	Local authorities	Other main stakeholders

National focal points	Proposal for organisation(s) to implement TRB SDP on large scale